2.) Writing is key! If you are posting a blog or writing a press release, spell check can be your best friend. Your writing will reflect who you are and what you represent.

3.) Keep your network alive.

4.) Your relationships are your most important asset. 3 and 4 kind of go together. Staying in contact with your professional peers can prove to be your biggest source of learning and success. Get tips from them! Remember them!…and you’ll see your career soar because of their insight.

5.) Blogging can be difficult! Truth be told, I do not like keeping myself accountable for posting every week! But I’m trying to get better and post more when COMM2322 is over!

6.) PR = Marketing….NOT!

7.) Stay fresh. Follow the news, check the latest tweet from your partners, and become savvy! With the way everyone is becoming so socially aware of what’s going on, you want to stay current to be a part of any conversation.

8.) You can be successful in a crucial conversation. Consider who you’re talking to and decide what tactics will help you reach your goal.

9.) Keep blogging!

10.) This is just the beginning. You are never over with research, staying updated with news, finding contacts…so keep going!

We love a great football game, don’t we? Or what about the World Series? It’s always amazing to hear someone taking a weekend trip to watch their alma mater play in a big game…..

So what exactly do we have to learn from sports about PR?

Everything!

Keeping scores and rivalries and donning the championship apparel is what keeps the spirit alive – so don’t forget to do the same in PR. Taking care of your “fans” really helps in building your network and in keeping your vision alive.

Also, building that sense of community will help in creating the brand image for your clients. That ownership is essential to any community…think about it. What helps you bond with others? Is it your mutual love for Starbucks? Or maybe a certain TV show? Or is it most likely your love for all things Ohio State? And why is it that you love those things? Because you have some sort of emotional tie, whatever, and it can help you relate to others on a different level. This is cool. So why not play up on that?

Bottom line: In the PR process, please, please, please, don’t forget the ones who keep you going and who have started it all. They’re just as good as your newest followers and you should take care of them and remind them of why they fell in love with you in the first place.

Check out this article courtesy of Ragan PR about the importance of remembering your fans.

So this is somewhat of a continuation of my post about making an awesome PowerPoint; only this time, I think I should mention the fact about making a great speech to go along with that PowerPoint presi.

We all know it’s one thing to WOW everyone with great graphics, video clips, and a crisp presentation, but it’s totally different when the presenter opens their mouth and turns you off by being boring.

Use the power of story: Whether it’s a short joke, a real life experience, or an actual news story, tell it! I think this makes your presentation so much more dynamic and it helps your audience relate to you. I mean, how funny is it when you hear some speaker talk about a life crisis and it so happens that you’ve been through the same exact thing?!

Plus, if you need a great opener, telling a story can help grab the attention of your audience. You can always give some insight as to how your story relates to what you’re going to be talking about.

Use the tactics of other speakers: It’s okay to make a spin off from what someone else has done! If you like a particular way someone transitions from point to point, try to use that same style to help the flow of your presentation. If you like the idea of ending your presentation with a video clip, then end it that way!

You can always learn from what great speakers do. Look at some of the great speakers of the past. JFK is a great example of someone with PASSION. Be enthusiastic about your topic. Be excited so your audience is excited!

Awesome post by Simply PR! It’s amazing how much you can learn by jumping into social media galore, the blogging world, and applying real life applications. Staying up to date with your information is key and your mindset is just as important; if you want to be heard and make a difference, give people a reason why to follow you and the rest is “Simply PR”!

Okay, here’s the deal; you need to write a press release and here’s how to get Google’s attention. Optimizing search engine capabilities can increase the hits you receive in response to a press release you might write. Making a checklist can help, but the key to writing a release should be for that human connection, not specifically targeting your search engine connection.

Here are just a few tips to get noticed:

Keywords are important when writing, making sure that what you write can be searchable in a search engine such as Google.

– Include a brand name/product type that is recognizable

– Research news stories/topics your top candidates search for

– Use trend information to see what topics have been popular over time

For content optimization, build your keywords into your press release, including them into the title, the body of the release, and varying phrases to keep it consistent. Keeping it to 250 – 500 words is just the right length, and PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE avoid “marketing speak” – keep it short, simple, and to the point.

Links can also be really important to optimizing media content and directing traffic to other additional stories and related material. And again, use your keywords in the links to keep it consistent, and only put around 3 – 4 of them in your press release.

So there you go, a few tips to help you write a successful new release, but REMEMBER: write well. Writing is so important and you wouldn’t want your release to be tossed in the garbage if you don’t construct a well-written piece. And as important as keywords are, don’t get carried away; try to find a good balance between informing and going keyword crazy.

For more information about writing a great press release, PR, and social media, check out the blog of AdamSherk, VP of SEO and Social Media for Define Media Group.

Sometimes it’s hard to stay focused when things aren’t going as planned, but keep your chin up and make use of the extra time.

So here they are:

1.) Do the desk drawer dig.

You never know who you’ll find when you look through old cards and contacts.Rekindle relationships and it may bring you some unexpected business. Or just see what they’re up to…the important thing is to remember you’re not making a sales call.

2.) Network out of your industry.

Even if it makes you a little nervous, just do it! Attending a seminar or big event can help you connect with others to share ideas and look for other opportunities.

3.) Think!

Take this opportunity to look at the big picture. Yes, you have projects to finish and deadlines to meet, but it wouldn’t hurt to take a step back and analyze your company as a whole. Plus, this little period of down time could help you in reestablishing your company identity.

4.) Take a chill pill.

Realize that every business, every industry, every EVERYTHING has its ups and downs, so just relax. Don’t be too hard on yourself.

Hmmm, so bottom line, don’t freak out. And this advice is good for anything, no matter what business you’re in, or whether you’re looking for a job, or really no matter where you are in life. Look at it as more of an adventure, than just a wall in your way that you can’t get over.

Recently, I had the opportunity to phone interview Nikki Smith, President of ASAP, Advertising Services and Printing. She graduated from Polk State College with a degree in Business Administration – Marketing and loves to help others communicate what they want to the public arena. I personally know her from church, and knowing her schedule is absolutely crazy, I’m so happy I had a few minutes to speak with her about what she does on a regular basis.

Although mainly a marketing services company, Nikki faces the challenges of any PR practitioner, as their products must conform to the guidelines set by each company they represent.

With multiple projects throughout the year, ASAP promotes the campaigns of several companies throughout the central Florida area. One of the biggest challenges they face in promoting campaigns is adhering to legal verbiage and legal stipulations placed by the company.

Asking if writing was a key component to her job, she responded with a big “YES!”

Companies give them the scope of their projects and goals as well as a “creative brief” to brainstorm ways to work around different rules and regulations. Throughout the process, ASAP works closely with the company’s marketing department to ensure the right message is being broadcasted to the public.

One thing that stuck out in our conversation was her enthusiasm to stay connected and relevant with the outside world. She mentioned that reading, attending events, and networking with others are so important to becoming successful and helping sustain your edge in the market. Sometimes we can get lazy, but the passion for your job is what can really keep you going.